


Mourning

by agentlemanneverlies



Category: Pocket Monsters: Gold & Silver & Crystal | Pokemon Gold Silver Crystal Versions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 19:24:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1994943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentlemanneverlies/pseuds/agentlemanneverlies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was raining that night; the night Archer’s world shattered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mourning

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, so this was a piece I wrote for a role play application. I got accepted, naturally, but I thought I'd share it here! Since there are mentions to the way I personally play Archer, if you'd like to read his bio, it can be found here: http://ofambivalence.tumblr.com/i 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it!

It was raining that night; the night Archer’s world shattered. The storm had been brewing for days, and when it finally tumbled down in droplets the size of small pebbles the mood of the night became solemn. The sky had been crying, Archer had thought, for the universe knew just what was happening and was beginning to grieve along with him. 

He had been recently promoted to executive, something he wasn’t sure whether or not he liked yet. The job was taxing on his time, but that was not what bothered him. He could do any job, and he  _would_  do any job asked of him, but he wasn’t certain he was worthy of such a respectful position. Even still, he was honored that Giovanni had trusted him, and he swore to do his best to make his idol proud.

Glancing up from the stack of paper work sitting on his desk, Archer sighed. Lately Giovanni had been distant. Not simply with him, but with his other executives as well. It was rare to see him outside of his private rooms these days, and that had begun to concern Archer. If something was wrong with the man who had saved his life, he wished to return the favor, but for all his intelligence, he had no idea how. 

So rather than approaching the man, he had decided on fulfilling his duties as executive to try and take some weight off of the man. If Archer could not help him with whatever was bothering him, he could at the very least go above and beyond with his work.

With another wistful sigh, he turned back to his paperwork and attempted to focus. 

The room had a dark atmosphere about it, which left his mind wandering off more than necessary. The curtains had been drawn shut to hide the gloom of the storm outside, yet it did nothing to hide the sound of raindrops cascading against the windows, or the wind that whipped through the trees creating a haunting whistling noise. The room was not entirely dark, Archer had turned the lights on, but the lighting was unnatural and florescent, and with the tempest outside, he found himself craving the light of the sun.

Archer scanned his eyes briefly over another paper, trying his best to ignore the feelings of loneliness and sadness that had sunk in. It was a request from a grunt for vacation time, something that was rarely asked for, yet… This particular grunt surely needed it. She had been in a serious accident recently involving a pokemon that had been very dear to her, and though her body had recovered, Archer was not naive enough to believe her mind had. He wasn’t heartless, he knew how people ticked, and he knew she needed the time off to heal.

Without so much as blinking, Archer swept his pen across the page, the familiar scrawl of his signature barely registering in his head. There, that was one thing done.

It continued like that for awhile, Archer dazedly reading over documents and scribbling his name across the bottom. He felt like he was dreaming, lost in some obscure reality that did not feel like his own. It was just one of those days.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and without glancing up from his paperwork, Archer muttered, _”come in.”_

His door opened, and a grunt walked in, his uniform immaculate as it should be, and his head held high in pride.  **"Sir, I have a message for you."**

Archer nodded over to his desk, his wrist still moving across the page on its own accord.  _"Place it next to the paperwork,"_  he said, without looking up.

The grunt did as he was told, and Archer gave a small nod of thanks, before once more focusing on his work.

It was only once the grunt had left the room that Archer dared to glance at the message. It was an old, worn envelope, likely one that had been used many times before, as there were a countless number of labels stacked up on the front. The top most one read his name, Archer, yet that was not what piqued his curiosity. He often received notes meant only for his eyes after all.

What caught his interest, was the familiar neat handwriting his name was written in. It was handwriting that he knew better than his own, as it belong to the man who taught him to write. Giovanni.

At first, Archer tried his best to focus on his work and save the letter for later, yet his curiosity got the better of him. Giovanni had been practically invisible for so long that such a letter reassured Archer of his well being.

Setting down his pen, Archer reached across the desk and gripped the envelope, tearing it open in one smooth motion. There was a single slip of paper inside, but it was folded, which left Archer to question whether or not Giovanni had been in his right mind. Carefully he removed the piece of paper and unfolded it, not once, or twice, but three times. 

His eyes skimmed briefly through the beginning paragraph not really caring about its contents. It was just another assignment, one he would do later that week, but one that would involve some more field work. He was asked to locate another executive from one of the other bases and give them their promotion. While he didn’t at first understand why this task was falling to him, his heart fell when he read the second paragraph. Oh. That was why.

_Archer,_

_You have been loyal to me from the beginning, and I have come to look to you as a son. I am forever grateful for all your hard work. Something has been off lately, ever since the Siliph operation fell through, and I’ve begun to grow tired. I am growing old, and while once I was a great and powerful leader, I’ve grown soft. I’m leaving, I won’t say where, but I wanted you to know that it was never anything you did._

_Giovanni_

Archer stared at the page, his hand shaking with adrenaline. No… This… Giovanni couldn’t just… He wouldn’t believe it. He couldn’t. Giovanni was the strongest man he had met, the one who had given him a second chance to live. Giovanni wouldn’t just…

Slamming down the page he abruptly stood from his desk. If Giovanni was really gone, he would confirm it himself. He quickly left his office, ignoring the worried glances and shouts he received as he stormed down the halls. All that mattered now was Giovanni, his hero, his leader… He had to still be there. If he was still in his room Archer could stop him, talk some sense into him,  _make him stay_. 

Finally he reached the door that he knew to be his boss’s, and he hesitantly gripped the handle. What if he wasn’t there? Then what? How would Archer continue without a guide? No… Giovanni was in there, he knew it. He simply had to be. Making up his mind, Archer turned the knob and pushed the door open.

Except, he had been wrong, the room was completely empty.

Fueled by his emotions, Archer panicked, running through the base until he reached the exit. This time the grunts really were shouting, but it all fell on deaf ears. Giovanni was gone. Archer felt his world had collapsed. The only man who had never abandoned him, was now gone. The world really was cruel.

Archer ran out into the storm uncaring of his own comfort. He was soaked in a matter of minutes, the wind and rain plastering his hair to his face, but it did not matter. Nothing mattered.

Dropping to his knees, he stared up at the sky, watching the rain tumble down. He thought that the sky was grieving, for someone important had been lost, and the sky must surely know it. Archer himself wished to cry, but he didn’t. Giovanni had taught him that crying never solved anything. He was lost, and he wished to express it, to get mad, to scream, to cry, but instead he stayed calm, as he always was. Calm, collected, and obedient to his master.

Without Giovanni what would become of him? Of Team Rocket? Of his home, his family? He did not know, nor did he want to know. He feared the future that such a disturbing night was sure to bring, but even more so, he feared a future where he had no purpose.

Left to die, there was no point for him to live, and he had nearly given up. But Giovanni had come, and like an ember igniting to flame, his desire to live had been awoken once more and though he had struggled through his illness,  _he had survived_.

The night Giovanni had taken him home, was the night that Archer had been given a reason to live; to serve a master. However, now that that master was gone, Archer felt cold and alone, like his life had once more lost its meaning.

No…

It hadn’t lost its meaning. Giovanni may be gone, but he would surely return one day. He hadn’t said he was leaving for good after all. Archer could still serve him. Archer could still live with a purpose.

Team Rocket would collapse without someone to guide them, and while he didn’t believe himself a worthy replacement for Giovanni, he knew that there was no one better suited to take care of the group until his return. It would be difficult, becoming an interim leader. They had all grown so loyal to Giovanni that he would never be accepted in his stead. But he never wanted to be accepted as a replacement, so as long as he made them understand this, he would be fine.

He would continue to serve his master, until the day when he may return. 

Sighing, he stood, brushing off his pants even though he knew it would do nothing to rid them of the water they had absorbed. "Hmm... It would seem the sky is crying after all..." he mused, as he turned around  to head inside. He knew he should head inside, yet lingered for just a moment to stare up at the cloud filled sky.

Yes, the sky was crying, but it wasn't out of grief. No, the sky was crying tears of joy; joy for a fresh start.

As Archer walked back inside the base he held a new air about him. No longer was he the weak and sickly man who did not deserve to serve Giovanni, but the strong and fierce man who would serve his master even in death. He ignored the grunts' shouts of concern aimed at his wet clothes. No, nothing could distract him now. If he was going to continue the Team Rocket legacy until Giovanni's return, there was much to be done. He had work to do.


End file.
